


The Healed and The Damaged and The Everything In Between of Hogwarts

by minerva__mcgee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcoholism, Anxiety, Depression, Drug Abuse, Eating Disorders, Hogwarts, Mental Health Issues, Mental Health Support Group, Night Terrors, OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, Support Group, anger issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:46:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24040783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minerva__mcgee/pseuds/minerva__mcgee
Summary: Mental illness is all around, even at Hogwarts. You never know who it affects, or what someone is going through.I found a couple of chapters of this in my drafts on a different site and thought I'd post it here and continue the story. Hope you enjoy.TRIGGER WARNING - MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, INCLUDING GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS. Everyone has different experiences with mental illness.
Kudos: 12





	The Healed and The Damaged and The Everything In Between of Hogwarts

"Percy!" Penelope shouted down the hallway after her boyfriend, who turned around and smiled at her. He stopped walking and waited for her to catch up, and after she jogged to him, they shared a light kiss before continuing down the hallway. 

"So did you finish the Charms essay?" she said, grabbing his hand and swinging it lightly back and forth. 

He scoffed in a joking manner. "Of course. You?"

"Took me forever, but yes, I did get it done. The Defense Essay took me a long time."

"Yeah, but Lupin's pretty brilliant, isn't he? He sure knows his stuff."

"Best teacher we've had for Defense, easily," Penelope agreed. 

The walked in silence, enjoying their surroundings for a minute or two, no particular destination in mind. They had all the time in the world - it was a Saturday, the school year was just getting started, and the young couple were Head Boy and Girl. Very little could improve in their lives.

"So what do you want to do today?" Percy turned to her. 

"We could grab books and go and read by the lake? It's a beautiful day." He smiled and kissed her again before looking at her. "That sounds perfect. Come on!" 

They walked down to the lake, each holding a book - they both opted muggle books, Percy, the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and Penelope chose To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Settling into the grass right at the water's edge, Penelope took off her shoes and her outer robes before stepping into the very shallow water. She took a deep breath with her eyes shut before turning around and kicking up some water at Percy, who mocked offense and joined her, splashing around. 

Eventually, they sat on the grass and cast a drying charm over themselves, and picked up their books. Percy had one arm resting around Penelope's shoulders, and didn't realize that she had fallen asleep until she began to get slightly restless. 

He didn't put any thought into it, however, until she started to suddenly thrash around. He sat up and tried to wake her up. "Penny! Wake up, it's just a nightmare!" He said firmly, but quietly, trying not to startle her. Penelope kept mumbling incoherently, occasionally saying words like "run" and "mirror." She opened her eyes after a few seconds, and reached her hand out for her wand. Before he could blink, the end of Penelope's wand was touching his throat. 

"Whoa, Penny, calm down, it's alright, it's just me! Percy! It's just me!" he said, raising his hands in the air. The look in her eyes frightened him deeply until her face fell as she came back to. 

"Oh my god," she said slowly, before moving at such a fast speed to grab her wand, robes, and book and running away. Her blonde hair was flowing wildly behind her as she almost knocked over a band of second-years and nearly toppled over Professor McGonagall, who shouted after her, without getting any acknowledgement in return. 

The Professor sped up and walked hastily to Percy, a look of concern flashing briefly over her face. "Weasley, what's happened with Miss Clearwater?"

"I - I have no idea. We were reading by the lake, and she fell asleep, and then she started muttering in her sleep and thrashing around, I guess she was having a nightmare, and when I finally was able to wake her up, she pointed the tip of her wand at my throat, and then ran off."

"I'll find her, Weasley. Go and see Madam Pomfrey about that cut on your face, yes?"

Percy reached a hand up to his face and blood touched his fingers. "I don't know how that happened. I didn't even notice."

"There's likely a lot of adrenaline going through your veins right now - go see her. I'm going to find Miss Clearwater. Tell Madam Pomfrey that I'll send for her once I find her so that she can check up on her."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, and the two Gryffindors parted ways.

Minerva McGonagall looked around the hallways of the school for hours, checking both the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Common Rooms, but still couldn't find Penelope. She was about to give up when she heard a crash in an empty classroom in the sixth floor corridor. The Professor started running toward the sound, eventually turning into her Animagus form in order to run faster. 

After a few seconds, she reached the classroom, transformed back, and opened the door with her wand drawn. Penelope Clearwater was sitting on the floor, staring with an expressionless face out the window. Her hand was bleeding and there was shattered glass on the floor. Professor McGonagall silently cast a Patronus charm and sent it off to Madam Pomfrey, before waving her wand to clean up the glass and sitting down next to Penelope, who was holding her knees tightly to her chest, putting her legs straight out in front of her and her back against the wall . 

"Miss Clearwater, if you can hear me, please nod your head," said Professor McGonagall. Penelope was still for a few seconds, but nodded her head gently. "Good. I am going to sit here next to you for as long as it takes for you to calm down and when you're ready to talk. I have sent for Madam Pomfrey, in order to clean up that wound. She will not touch you until you are ready, and she should be here shortly. Then we will both sit here with you until you're ready, so you know you're not alone. We will not make you speak if you wish not to do so, but we will be here for you, at least until you wish us away and we're sure you're alright. But I want you to hear me out before Madam Pomfrey arrives. I am going to speak, and you don't have to say anything. Nod if you're alright with that."

Penelope nodded lightly again.

"Penelope," Professor McGonagall took a deep breath before speaking, "I understand that you've been struggling along since the incident last school year with the basilisk, and I understand that you likely still have nightmares about it, which I believe may have been what triggered this episode for you. Now, I may have never personally faced a basilisk like you have, but I have fought in two wars now, and I can recognize Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when I see it. Madam Pomfrey will likely give you the whole speech about how it's not your fault, blah blah blah, which is very true, but I know that it doesn't mean anything when you're in deep. 

"But I want you to listen to my words when I tell you that you are not alone, no matter how alone that you may feel. I want you to know that you are strong enough to beat this, whether you want to believe that or not. And most importantly, I want you to know that all of us Professors and staff member - well, not Mister Filch, but I doubt you'd want to go to him anyway, I'm fairly certain he's in love with a cat - we're all here for you to help wherever that may be, whether that's talking something through or simply being present as a comforting source if you need one at any hour of the day or night. My door is always open. You do not have to do this alone, but you must fight this battle."

Penelope did not move or even acknowledge that she heard Professor McGonagall's speech, but when the Professor sighed and put her arms are her sides, the girl put her hand on top of Professor McGonagall's, who gave it a slight squeeze in return. They were still holding hands when Madam Pomfrey walked in a few seconds later. 

"Well, it sure took you long enough," said Professor McGonagall, looking up at her and giving her a small smirk. Madam Pomfrey didn't respond, but crouched down in front of Penelope, who looked up at her without moving her head. "Can I see your hands so I can stop the bleeding?" 

Penelope hesitated, but extended her arms out and put her knees down, now sitting with her legs crossed. The glass had cut up her hands in multiple places, and there was blood all over herself, the floor, and Professor McGonagall, who waved her wand and cleaned it up. Madam Pomfrey pulled a small jar of cream from her bag and began to apply it to the wounds on Penelope's hands, which began to slowly close. Now, all three were sitting on the floor, Penelope and Professor McGonagall with their backs against the wall, and Madam Pomfrey sitting close by with her back against a desk.

"When you're ready to talk, let us know, and then we'll talk," said Professor McGonagall placing her hands in her lap and looking out the window. Penelope took a few deep breaths and steadied herself, before sitting up straight and looking at Professor McGonagall, whose usually stern demeanor had softened in a way that she did not recognize.

"I get nightmares sometimes," she began. "Sometimes ..."


End file.
